


Every Step of the Way

by DatHeetJoella



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Established Relationship, Fluff, Growing Up Together, M/M, Memories, Pre-Dive To the Future, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 06:31:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16969479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DatHeetJoella/pseuds/DatHeetJoella
Summary: It was the night before they were moving to Tokyo and Haruka found himself staring up at his bedroom's ceiling, unable to fall asleep. A text from Makoto proved that he wasn't the only one who was nervously anticipating the adventure ahead of them.Together, Makoto and Haruka take a quite literal walk down memory lane and visit all the places in Iwatobi that are dear to them, reminiscing about all the wonderful times they spent together in the small, seaside town they call their home.





	Every Step of the Way

**Author's Note:**

  * For [infinite_always](https://archiveofourown.org/users/infinite_always/gifts).



> This fic is a gift for the wonderful and kind infinite_always.
> 
> Earlier this year, you wrote this amazing fic called "[I Like Me Better (When I'm With You)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14095899)" and you gifted it to me, of all people. I can't describe how grateful and happy I was when I saw it, and I knew from the very first moment that I had to give you something back. So I've been working on it eversince, but with the deadlines for events I was participating in rapidly approaching, I had to put it on the backburner for a moment. But now, I was finally able to get it done. Sorry it took me so long, but I really hope you'll like it because you truly deserve it. All of your lovely comments never fail to make my day, so I hope this fic can bring you even a tiny sliver of the happiness that you have given me! :)
> 
> Because of aforementioned circumstances, the first half of this fic was written before season 3 came out, and the other half was written after. As you can tell from the summary and the tags, this fic is set between Take Your Marks and Dive to the Future, but because I changed some things (like Haru and Makoto getting an apartment together because honestly they should have), I tagged it as a canon divergence, so you don't have to pay season 3 too much mind while reading this fic.
> 
> Next to that, I have never been to Iwami and I had great difficulty putting together the map of it in my head based on the pictures that friends showed me and Google Maps, so please take the layout of Iwatobi as mentioned in this fic with a grain of salt.
> 
> I think that's all I wanted to say for now. I really hope everyone enjoys this, but you especially, infinite_always! ^^

The moon was still out, the stars illuminated the heavens with their brightness, and the sun showed no signs of rising any time soon, yet Haruka found himself already staring up at the dark ceiling of his bedroom. Or rather, he found himself staring up at it again.

He should have been deep in slumber right now, but the heavy rock in his gut and the frantic palpitations of his heart were preventing him from truly nodding off. A mixture of conflicting feelings was coiling in the pit of his stomach, from excitement and happiness to concern and unease, but it were mainly the nerves dominating his mind, making him drift in and out of consciousness for no longer than a few minutes at a time. With every fleeting thought, another emotion would well up and take the forefront, and it was absolutely exhausting; it made him restless and his skin itched like it would near a large body of water, begging to submerge himself in it to forget everything. But these feelings were here for a reason.

Today was the day; today, Makoto and he were moving to Tokyo.

In a few hours, just after dawn, Makoto and he would get in the car he had rented during their last visit to Tokyo and leave their small seaside town behind for the big city. All stops included, they hoped to arrive at their apartment in the early evening. Most of their stuff was already at their new place so they would only have to take their suitcases and boxes filled with the last necessities along with them, so the move itself wasn't a point of concern for Haruka.

But unlike their previous trips to Tokyo, this time they wouldn't come back to their familiar environment, with people they knew and roads they had walked countless of times before. This time, it was a one-way trip.

It was scary, going to a new city that was the polar opposite of Iwatobi; there were millions of people that he didn't know and the streets were lively and bustling, everything bundled up tightly in a cityscape of asphalt and concrete. No friends or acquaintances nearby to make small talk with at the grocery shop, no sounds of the howling wind or the waves crashing on the shore, no sand between his toes or clear night skies filled with tranquility. Instead of living in the old house he had been born in, with creaking floorboards and walls packed with memories, he was going to live in a cramped apartment that had known many other residents, with habits he didn't know and memories that weren't his. Almost everything that was familiar and comforting to him would be left behind in this small fishing town and that thought was incredibly overwhelming and even a little suffocating to him.

Of course, it wasn't all bad; there were more pros than cons to moving to Tokyo, otherwise he wouldn't have made the decision to leave almost his entire life behind to go there in the first place.

In Tokyo, he was going to broaden his horizon and work hard to realise his dream of becoming a professional athlete. It was the first step towards his goal of exploring the world through swimming, but that wasn't the most important reason he was going. Swimming could be done anywhere, so he might as well follow his heart in every sense of the word. Because this town held everything he wanted and needed in his life, but today the most significant and meaningful part of his world was leaving Iwatobi in favour of Tokyo; because Makoto was going, he was going too.

It wasn't that he was so dependent on Makoto that he would blindly follow him everywhere without taking his own future into consideration, but if he had the opportunity to realise his dream alongside Makoto, then he would have been an idiot if he didn't take it. He had to accomplish his goals somewhere, and he'd rather do it in Tokyo than anywhere else. He would gladly leave this town in order to be with Makoto, because truthfully, Makoto meant more to him than Iwatobi did. Still, that didn't mean that just leaving his old life behind was easy.

And despite it having been Makoto's decision to go to Tokyo first and foremost, that didn't mean that leaving Iwatobi was easy for him either; on the contrary, Haruka thought that it must have been even harder for him. After all, he wasn't just leaving behind their friends and the places filled memories, but also his family. Although Haruka was going to miss Makoto's family a lot too, it was obviously very different for Makoto. He loved them immensely and the only times he had ever been without them for longer than a day were during the trips they took together, with school and the swim club or just the two of them, so suddenly living in a different city hundreds of kilometers away would be difficult to get used to and would cause for a lot of homesickness for sure.

But Haruka knew that the sacrifices were worth it to Makoto too. He was taking the first big leap towards becoming an independent adult and he was going to get the best education he possibly could to make his dreams come true. It was very admirable, so Haruka knew he was going to do his best to help Makoto in any way he could.

These past months they weren't able to spend as much time together as Haruka would have liked because Makoto was studying so much, and while Haruka understood that and supported him wholeheartedly, he still missed him. Because Makoto had the tendency to overwork himself, Haruka knew he had to do his best to make sure he was still taking proper care of himself and to distract him whenever necessary. That wouldn't be too difficult though, considering their decision to get an apartment together.

In all honesty, that was the aspect Haruka looked forward to the most. He had been living by himself for the past couple of years and didn't mind solitude in the slightest, but he couldn't deny that being greeted by an empty house could be lonely sometimes. Eating meals by himself in silence could get pretty isolating, especially if he thought about the warm atmosphere that hung at the Tachibana residence during dinner time or anytime, really, and going to sleep without having anyone to say goodnight to felt a lot colder than when Makoto whispered a small wish for sweet dreams to him during sleepovers. So the prospect of being welcomed home by Makoto's warm smile and loving embrace every single day was very appealing and that thought made his heart rush with longing to see him.

They had initially agreed that they would both sleep over at Haruka's house tonight since that would have been the quickest; the rental car was already packed for the most part so they could go as soon as they were ready. But as always, things had gone a bit differently than planned.

Yesterday they had slept over at the Tachibana's so that they could have one last sleepover with the twins. But when they were saying their goodbyes to Makoto's family, Ran and Ren teared up and begged Makoto not to leave yet and to spend his last night in Iwatobi with them. Weak for his siblings' persuasion and heartbroken by seeing them so upset, Makoto gave in and agreed to stay. They had asked Haruka to stay over as well, but he had politely declined because he wanted to spend the night at his own place just one more time before going away.

Makoto had apologised for giving in to Ran and Ren's pleas and breaking their agreement, but it wasn't like Haruka didn't understand so he didn't mind it that much. Starting tomorrow they would sleep together every night, so Haruka could survive one more night by himself. At least, that was what he originally thought. While it was objectively true, he would be lying if he said that he wouldn't have liked to have Makoto by his side now as well, because every night was simply better if it was spent alongside his love.

He was wondering if the worry and anticipation of the adventure ahead of them were keeping Makoto up too. Going off the knowledge that Makoto always had sleepless nights preceding special days and field trips and such, he was most likely staring at his own ceiling right now, with a similar rock of all of these contrasting feelings weighing down his chest. Because of that, he figured it was probably for the best that they weren't together, otherwise they inevitably would have noticed the other's contemplations and spent the night talking about the frightening yet thrilling time that they had been living towards for a while now but would truly begin tomorrow.

It wouldn't be that much of an issue for Makoto since he could sleep in the car, but Haruka had to drive the entire way. Despite their planned stops to get some food and stretch their legs, if he were too tired then he might nod off behind the wheel and that was something that Haruka definitely didn't want. If only they could have taken turns driving, but Makoto had been so focused on studying these past couple of months that he hadn't gotten his license yet, so unfortunately that wasn't an option either. Therefore, Haruka had to make sure that he got enough sleep so he wouldn't cause any accidents and get them both to Tokyo safe and sound.

But getting that sleep wasn't as easy as it usually was. If it were any other day then he would have fallen into a deep sleep hours ago, yet no matter how he tossed and turned, the feelings bubbling in his stomach and the thoughts coursing through his head were doing a great job at keeping him wide awake. If he wanted to get the sleep he badly needed then he had to clear his mind but that was easier said than done; the only way that he could think of right then was to give in to that itch and take a bath, letting the water wash all his troubles away, but Makoto would surely scold him if he fell asleep in the tub.

A sigh left his lips as he turned on his side to face the window. Perhaps it would have been better if Makoto were here. Maybe he could have said something encouraging or reassuring, or in the very least it should have been easier to drift off when his strong arms were wrapped around him and his face was buried in his broad chest. Haruka never really had much trouble sleeping but he couldn't deny that he slept best when he was cuddled up with his other half. And especially now did he yearn for Makoto's embrace to calm the storm in his head and to soothe the whirlwind in his heart.

Like his mind had been read, the silence that had long since settled in his room was disrupted by a faint buzz. For a second, the somewhat unfamiliar sound confused Haruka, but it soon dawned upon him that it was his phone vibrating on his desk and he got up to check it. Usually he would have just let it be, but considering it was currently in the middle of the night, he knew there could only be one person trying to contact him.

When he slid his phone open, the bright light blinded him for a second before he saw the characters he was expecting on the screen; Makoto had texted him and wanted to know if he was awake. Haruka sent back a quick reply and only a few seconds later he got a response, asking him if he could meet Makoto outside in five minutes. Upon reading those words, the longing that was nagging at his chest spiked up fiercely and he typed a short confirmation before he began to undress himself, changing from his pyjamas into the clothes he had laid out for himself earlier, then he pocketed his phone and walked out of his room.

Before he left though, he brushed his teeth and washed his face to freshen himself up a little and to wash the grime of worry away. He did forgo breakfast, not only because it was the middle of the night and he was too nauseous to eat anyway, but mainly because he had intended to grab some breakfast with Makoto later. So he simply put on his jacket and slipped into his shoes before he left his house without locking the door behind himself - that was really something he should get used to doing though, since he couldn't exactly leave the front door unlocked in Tokyo.

He walked down the steps that separated Makoto's house from his and the heavy weight from before came back up to form a knot in his gut. Soon these steps that might as well have had their footprints sculpted into them would be abandoned, the symbol of their meetup spot left behind without anyone to wait for someone else on. Left behind like no one had ever been here in the first place.

Those melancholic thoughts were whisked away when he heard the faint clicks of a front door being opened and closed slowly, and then the small gate swung open and he saw Makoto walking down the stairs. A smile naturally graced Haruka's face upon seeing Makoto's handsome, moonlit features.

"Hey," he called out in greeting, his soft voice echoing throughout the quiet, empty streets.

"Good morning," Makoto replied with a gentle smile of his own, "or should I say, 'good night'?"

Shrugging slightly in nonchalance, Haruka mumbled, "Either works," as he bit the inside of his lip to prevent his smile from widening. It was odd how simply seeing Makoto could lift his mood so much, but he supposed that that was just Makoto's power; his presence could transform any rainy day into one radiating sunshine, and his kind smile made every flower spontaneously bloom.

When Makoto was on equal ground with him, Haruka didn't waste a second before he wrapped his arms around his neck in the embrace he had been craving all night. Instantly Makoto hugged him back and Haruka buried his head into the skin that was peeking through the open collar of his coat. For just a moment, all of Haruka's worries vanished in thin air and ease settled in his stomach as he felt Makoto's warm skin upon his, his familiar scent surrounding him. He nuzzled his face against Makoto's neck to revel in his love and to express his affection. The tender caress of Makoto's hand over his back was a little more difficult to feel because of the layers separating them, but Haruka didn't have to feel it directly onto his flesh because he felt it very clearly in his heart.

Pulling back ever so slightly, Haruka looked up at Makoto's face and he reached up his hand to brush it through Makoto's hair, admiring how the moonlight reflected in his gorgeous eyes. They soon softened into a look of absolute fondness, and Haruka couldn't do anything but lean up on his tippy toes to close the distance between them. Their lips met in a kiss most chaste, but that didn't make it any less meaningful or special than any of the longer, deeper kisses they had shared in the past. It made Haruka feel warm and cherished and loved, the things he always felt without question or exception whenever they kissed and if the sight of his beloved didn't put him at ease, then this kiss definitely swept all of his lingering worries away.

When Makoto ended their kiss with a small noise of contentment, he kept his eyes closed and gently rested his forehead against Haruka's. Their warm breath intermingled between them in the cool night air and Haruka let out another sigh, not daring to open his eyes either in fear of disturbing this moment in which time just seemed to stand still. For a little while, the world stopped turning and Haruka felt like he could get lost in time and space to let this embrace go on for the rest of eternity. Everything else was forgotten and he didn't know anything but pure, unadulterated love. It coursed through his veins and made up his every fiber, until he existed of nothing more than adoration and devotion to the most beautiful person on the entire planet.

The pleasant void of every thought and worry was filled up when Makoto drew him out of his trance with a playful yet affectionate nuzzle of his nose against his own. The inevitable smile cracked Haruka's demeanour again as he nuzzled back, and then he stole another kiss from his lips simply because he wanted to and could.

After sharing a few giggles - and kisses - Haruka pulled back for real. He let his hands slip down Makoto's arms to intertwine their fingers, then he looked up at Makoto expectantly. No matter how much Haruka enjoyed every loving gesture that Makoto blessed him with, he didn't think Makoto would call him out here in the middle of the night right before a big day just for a couple of kisses and nuzzles.

Makoto's expression shifted from one that only knew fondness to one that was also familiar with melancholy. "I didn't wake you up, did I?" he asked, and though it didn't necessarily explain the situation they currently found themselves in, Haruka knew it was the build-up to the point he was going to make.

"No," Haruka said earnestly, appreciating the concern that dyed his voice while it simultaneously made him more curious; whatever was dancing through Makoto's mind must be pretty important if it was worth the risk of waking him up in the middle of the night. They knew each other well enough for Makoto to make a fair judgement on his state of consciousness, but it was still a guess. "I couldn't sleep," he added as further elaboration.

"I already thought so," Makoto affirmed, smiling a little, "neither could I."

A deep sigh left his lips and it contained all of the unspoken worries that had been on Haruka's mind as well. As if to reassure himself, Makoto raised his hand to Haruka's head and brushed a small lock of hair behind his ear.

"So instead of lying awake in bed and letting our thoughts eat away at us," Makoto continued in a slightly louder tone, almost like he spoke with newfound confidence, "I thought it might be nice to talk a walk through town, visit all the places that are dear to us."

 _To say goodbye to them before we go_. Makoto didn't say those words, but Haruka could easily catch the underlying meaning in the ones he had said. It was a nice proposal, reliving their fondest memories that were made throughout Iwatobi, but the more he thought about it, the more doubt began to cloud Haruka's mind. If they visited these places now, then it might really seem like it was a farewell, and it might be better to leave without saying goodbye so the tiniest of things wouldn't stab him as deeply as they would when he was directly confronted with them.

After a second of pondering, Haruka reached the conclusion that this was something that he wanted to do. In the scenario that they wouldn't leave Iwatobi at dawn, the thought of taking a stroll around town in the quiet of the night with Makoto to clear his mind from the hecticness of life was incredibly appealing, so he didn't see why he should regard it differently now. Any possibly sappy thoughts of farewells should be repressed and he should just enjoy the cool spring night with his love while reminiscing about all the wonderful times they spent together in this small seaside town.

"Sounds nice," Haruka murmured and Makoto's smile softened at his agreement.

There went the precious hours of much needed sleep, but Haruka didn't mind it in the slightest. If he got tired along the way, then they would just have to take a nap stop. He was sure Makoto would have no objections to that either.

He gently squeezed Makoto's hand with his before he lifted it to his mouth so he could kiss Makoto's knuckles. Then he offered him a gentle smile and said, "Lead the way."

Their walk down memory lane couldn't have begun at a better place than right here. This place was the connecting point between Makoto's house, where they spent their nights stargazing on the balcony and played video games until they fell asleep together, and his house, where they ate slices of watermelon on the back porch during hot summer days and made love in his room with fireworks of passion exploding countless of times.

This little stairway, where Haruka made sure to time his arrival just so that he was always met with Makoto and his smile - until his habit of lingering in the tub developed and Makoto had to come get him out with an outstretched hand and that same warm smile - attached these two significant places to one another like all the roads in Iwatobi tied together their memories.

Still, this spot was special, because it didn't just tie important places to others, it was an important place in and of itself. Here where many words were left unspoken during times of trouble, but also where lots of hugs and kisses were shared when parting ways for the day. Where he often found Makoto playing with stray kittens, and where Makoto once burst out in tears of concern when Haruka tripped over a step and scraped his knees open deep enough to draw blood. A place that was so normal and mundane that he never really thought about it the thousands of times he had walked these stairs, yet it was undeniably a factor that played a crucial part in his life.

When viewing it like this, there were so many things that he was so used to that he never truly appreciated them to the extent they deserved. Not until he was on the verge of losing them. And he couldn't deny that Makoto had been a part of this until not too long ago.

The sentimental and somewhat guilt-ridden thoughts were whisked away when Makoto smiled at him again in the way that he only ever did to him. It was reassuring and it told him that Makoto would never blame him for anything because his love and patience with him was infinite and eternal. Unconditional. Now that he had come to the realisation and opened his eyes to how lucky he was to have Makoto by his side, Haruka knew that he was going to do everything he could to make up for the mistakes he made in the past. He would cherish and treasure Makoto every day for the rest of their lives.

"Come on," Makoto muttered as he gave Haruka's arm a slight tug, the kind expression that was painted on his features doing its best to make him appear cheerful. Haruka knew this was Makoto's way of telling him to let go of all the worries and concerns of both the past and the future and to just revel in the present, focusing on the good times that would soon resurface when a particular spot sparked a scene or anecdote.

Therefore, Haruka took a deep breath and tried his best to fixate his attention on Makoto solely as he allowed Makoto to pull him along, letting him carve their path and following behind him without objection.

Despite Makoto not having told him that he wanted to go to any place in particular, Haruka just knew the route they would inevitably take, and it started by walking up the stairs above his house. First, to the shrine where they had greeted the new year many times in the past, where they had said prayers for good test results and had drawn their fortune for luck during their swimming competitions. For good measure, they decided to say some prayers for a safe travel to Tokyo.

Once they were done they intertwined their fingers once more and continued on, their footsteps naturally syncing because they both knew where they were going even without having talked about it aloud.

They passed by the gazebo up on the hill, where they used to take shelter when it started to rain while they were playing outside but weren't ready to part ways yet; past the pergola on the overlook where Haruka had found Nagisa with his tent when he had run away from home because of the argument with his parents, to go to their special place at the railing.

This place had seen some of the highest moments in their relationship, but the lowest of the low as well. This place where they watched the fireworks every year during the festival had soon become a place to share their deepest thoughts, solely for the other's ears to hear while only the sky and the ocean listened along. It was a beautiful spot, perfect for admiring how the moonlight reflected on the water's surface, a tranquil yet gorgeous scenery to witness when looking each other in the eyes was too much at a certain moment.

Because this place had been tainted by a bad memory - and  _bad_  was an understatement -, Haruka had tried to cleanse it by coming here to tell Makoto that he was going to Tokyo too. While the enormous smile and stray tears on Makoto's face definitely helped to give this spot a fresh and wonderful memory to join the abundance there already was, it couldn't completely eradicate the ugliness that their first fight had branded in it, for the heartache welled up again whenever he was here, even now.

He couldn't deny that their fight had been unavoidable and very impactful for the events that were unfolding right now; if Makoto hadn't forced him to open his eyes then he might have still been dwelling on his fears and depressive thoughts, and he strongly believed that Makoto and he had only grown even closer because of their heart-to-heart.

Nevertheless, he looked back on that evening with a sour taste in his mouth because the reminder of what he had said to Makoto remained a bitter pill to swallow, and he doubted if he would ever forgive himself for it. He knew that Makoto had already forgiven him the moment those words left his lips, but the fact that he had purposely said them to hurt Makoto, the sweetest person on the entire planet who deserved to experience nothing but endless amounts of love and kindness, jabbed him right in his heart. Especially when he remembered the pained look that he had inflicted on his beautiful face.

A tender kiss being pressed against his temple pulled him from his spiral of negativity. When he automatically turned his head at the sudden touch, he saw Makoto's beautiful eyes staring at him in a look of reassurance and he smiled at him before he softly shook his head. Makoto naturally sensed the pool of regret that was forming in his stomach for the umpteenth time since that night and he told him to rid his mind of the guilt because it wasn't necessary to relive that moment. They had talked about it and it was over now, so there was no need to keep feeling bad about things from the past that he had already apologised for and couldn't change.

And Makoto was right, therefore Haruka was determined to eventually smoothe over every sharp edge that still surrounded their fight, so that it could still be an important lesson he had learned without it cutting him over and over whenever he had to look back on it for guidance. It wouldn't be easy, but he was sure he could do it because he had Makoto's unconditional and never-wavering love to support him along the way. As long as he had him, then Haruka believed that anything was possible.

Part of his plan to erase the guilt he felt was to overshadow the bad memory with one that was unforgettable in its own way. Telling Makoto about his decision hadn't fully covered it all - not for Haruka, at least - but that didn't mean that was his only shot. The words that this place reminded him of just had to be replaced by other, more beautiful ones; a declaration of affection that was so strong and meaningful that it would blow every negative connotation to this place away in an instant.

One day, many years in the future, he would propose to Makoto here.

But for now, Haruka simply settled with smiling back at him and rubbing small circles on his skin with his thumb to show him his appreciation for everything he had given him, and for everything he would surely give him in the future.

After just another minute of admiring the view that might as well have been etched into the walls of their hearts, they decided to move on. Truthfully, they could have stayed here and done nothing but enjoy each other's presence alongside the familiar scenery, but there were more places here in Iwatobi that were dear to them and that they wanted to visit, and if they didn't tear themselves away now then the sun would be coming up before they knew it.

But before they left, Haruka leaned up on his toes and pressed another chaste kiss against Makoto's lips, just to add another tinge of love to this area so that they could remember it with a little more fondness than they would otherwise.  _I love you._

Their journey continued as they walked back the same way they just came from, yet this time they didn't return to their homes; they were heading to another place that was a vital point in the map of their relationship. The place that wasn't really their start, but perfectly symbolised their beginning.

In the darkness of the night this place looked abandoned, but they knew that once the morning came, this place would be revived with the joyous laughter of children running around and having fun. To them, this playground was brimming with forgotten memories because they had made so many here during their lives so far that it was impossible to remember them all. But obviously not  _every_  memory had been wiped from their minds.

"Do you remember-" Makoto started, but then he immediately interrupted himself with a small chuckle, "Of course you do. Silly question."

Haruka snorted and gently squeezed Makoto's hand, for it had been a silly question; there was no way he could ever forget. There weren't many things he could remember of the first years of his life, but this memory was one that stood out to him and he could picture it very clearly in his head - whether that was because he actually remembered it or because he had heard the story often enough to effortlessly recreate the scene in his head, he didn't know, but he supposed it was like that with most childhood memories.

It had been a day like any other, and his mom had taken him to the playground just before dinner so they could get some fresh air and in the hopes of him making some friends. Much to his mother's dismay, he had been sitting off to the side of the sandbox by himself, showing no interest in any of the other kids that were building mounds and castles. At least, he hadn't at first.

When he suddenly heard some of the kids yelling excitedly about a dump truck, he couldn't help but look up to see what the commotion was about. That's when he saw it happen: a boy who appeared to be around his age had tripped over his own sand mound in his haste to catch up to the other children. Before he realised what he was doing, he had gotten up and reached out his hand to the boy, and the tearful green eyes that stared up at him kindled a flame of recognition in Haruka. He didn't have much time to ponder about it before the sad expression that had looked so misplaced on the boy's features morphed into a small, appreciative smile and the hand he had reached out was eagerly accepted.

From that moment on, Makoto and he had been inseparable. They still were now.

It was hard to imagine what their lives would have been like if Haruka hadn't noticed Makoto's desolation back then and hadn't held out his hand. Frankly, to this day he didn't know exactly why he had done it; up until then he had preferred to keep to himself and to not unnecessarily involve himself in other people's business, but he supposed that there was just something that made Makoto stand out from the crowd. Something that had drawn Haruka to him, even back then. As if he had known from first glance that Makoto was special, like his heart had realised and acknowledged Makoto's worth before his conscious mind had. A certain type of protectiveness and caring that had been so unfamiliar yet flared up inside of him so intensively at the first signs of Makoto's distress that he would have been unable to stop himself from reacting to it even if he had wanted to.

Whatever it might have been - a coincidence, a wave of unstoppable emotion, destiny - Haruka was so glad that he had reached out his hand, otherwise they might have never ended up here together. It was the spark that ignited their habit of held out hands, that lingered well into adulthood. Haruka was sure that it would never fade away either, for it had grown to be an important gesture in their relationship that represented support and comfort and security. It was as constant as their unlimited affection and if it weren't for this little playground, they might have never discovered the lengths of their adoration for each other.

Although that thought was incredibly hurtful to Haruka, he supposed that proved that things were meant to be this way. That he was meant to stand here next to the love of his life, holding his hand and reminiscing about the start of their friendship, that gradually evolved into love that went deeper than any established definition or social construct. Perhaps they would have met in a different way and developed the same feelings regardless of where the meeting took place, because Haruka was confident that they would have ended up together one way or another. But he was so glad that it turned out like this, because he wouldn't have wanted to have it any other way.

As he was staring at the sandbox that was dimly lit by the streetlights and the moon, warmth blossomed in his chest and this memory was undoubtedly the reason for it. The only negative facet to it was the image of young Makoto being so upset, with tears glistening in the eyes that had already been so gorgeous back then. But the smile that replaced it was bright enough to outshine the dark cloud of concern. Overall, the memory was not only unimaginably significant, but also very endearing.

"It's my first memory," Makoto whispered, almost like he was afraid to tear apart the thin blanket of tranquility that was wrapped around the entire town if he spoke too loudly.

A small yet tender smile softened Haruka's features. "In general or of me?"

"In general, so I suppose it's both," Makoto said with an amused snort, meeting his eyes as he gently stroked his thumb over the back of Haruka's hand. "I remember looking up and meeting your eyes, your eyebrows knit together in concern and your outstretched hand. You were like an angel."

"Oh, shut up!" Haruka chided, cutting off the train of embarrassing things that would have surely left Makoto's lips if he hadn't. He hoped the light didn't hit his face enough to reveal the small blush that had crept up to his cheeks in regard to Makoto's sappiness.

Makoto only laughed lightly before he did continue with something that was perhaps a little less embarrassing, but just as truthful as the previous words he had spoken, "You were so comforting and reassuring; you made me feel like there was someone there for me, someone who looked out for me and cared about me. That was exactly what I needed right then, and it never changed since. Thank you for that, Haru."

That heartfelt expression of gratitude made Haruka's smile widen in fondness and in response he lifted their interlaced hands to his mouth and pressed another loving kiss against Makoto's knuckles.

"It's not my first memory," Haruka then mumbled, trying to get back to the topic they discussed before. It wasn't like he didn't appreciate Makoto's sweet words, but the flood of warmth that engulfed him from the inside whenever Makoto effortlessly declared his affection like that was a little too much to handle at that moment. If he were to continue then he would actually melt into a puddle, and that was really not something they could use if they planned on visiting more places before sunrise.

"It's not?" Makoto asked, eyebrows raising in surprise and Haruka could see a flash of emotion in Makoto's eyes before it was masked with inquisitiveness - had it been pain or disappointment?

"No," he said, feeling a pang of guilt because of the possibility that his words had hurt Makoto, but he knew he would swipe that pain right off the table if he elaborated. "When I reached my hand out to you that day, you seemed a little familiar to me, but I couldn't put my finger on it. A while later my grandmother showed me pictures of us together, but we were younger than we were when we met at the playground. Then I remembered that I saw you on the day you moved here."

"What?" Makoto muttered in confusion, "I don't remember that at all."

"You were too young to remember it," Haruka explained, "I think you couldn't even walk properly back then."

"That makes sense, but I'm surprised you can remember it if it happened so long ago."

"It doesn't really matter much now, but I guess our five month age difference did impact a lot back then," Haruka shrugged, trying to sound as smug as he could. What he had said was true, but he couldn't help but tease Makoto about it a little.

"Hey, our age difference is only four and a half months!" Makoto retorted in an attempt to sound offended, but he failed miserably because he couldn't hold back his chuckles.

"Oh, excuse me," Haruka said sarcastically, rolling his eyes at Makoto's precision, "I meant our age difference of four months, two weeks and four days. Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you," Makoto giggled, and hearing that beautiful and joyous sound always made Haruka smile too. "In all seriousness," Makoto continued once the giggles had ebbed away, "I am really glad that we met that day. Or met  _again_  that day," he corrected based on that new information.

"So am I," Haruka murmured under his breath as he peered down at his feet, the soft timbre of his voice dissolving in the air, but not before it had reached Makoto's ears. Though he couldn't see it, Haruka could just feel Makoto's loving gaze on him, the tender smile that adorned his cheeks in fondness. The small squeeze of his hand confirmed his suspicions.

When he looked up again, there was a gleam in Makoto's evergreen eyes that told him that he was curious to see those pictures sometime.

But that would have to wait a little while. All of his grandmother's photo albums were stacked away in one of the boxes at their apartment, and there were many places here in Iwatobi they still had to visit before their journey to Tokyo would officially begin.

On any other day, the swings swaying along with the mellow breeze would have been inviting enough to take a seat, revisiting the times when they used to play here without a care in the world. Alas, today they would have to decline the offer, forgoing the opportunity to piece together the fractions of their playground memories in favour of recalling other, fresher and more complete ones at different locations.

Their walk continued without another word, leaving the child-versions of themselves behind so they could play on forevermore.

Haruka had never really thought about it before, but perhaps asphalt could safekeep memories too; he couldn't count how often they had crossed these roads, that seemed so insignificant in the big picture but were an unmissable part in the entirety of it. Whether they were jogging in the early mornings or late at night to build stamina, racing their bicycles eagerly down the street to get to swim practice as quickly as possible, or even just walking home in an amicable silence after a draining yet exciting day, they were still having fun. No matter how mundane these things might have seemed, they were treasured just as much as all of the other times they got to spend together.

After all, happiness couldn't just be found in the greatest of things, but also in the smallest of things, and any memory made together with Makoto was one that was cherished deeply.

The grains of sand in the hourglass of today were trickling so much faster than they realised; before they knew it, they had already gotten to their elementary school, with the large cherry tree in the brick flower bed they made with their sixth-grade class ready to bloom. Then came middle school, that had been the venue for some of the most embarrassing moments of their lives thus far - thanks, puberty - but had also known amazing moments with their friends and the swim team. And eventually, there was Iwatobi High School, where they had rekindled old friendships and rediscovered their love for swimming and relays, where they had laughed and cried, celebrated and lamented, where they had both worked hard towards the future in their own way.

So much time had been spent inside those buildings, and though Haruka couldn't say he had particularly enjoyed all those years of going to school and studying, he couldn't deny that he had made some of his fondest memories there. Though it was mainly because of all of his friends, Makoto specifically, he could definitely look back onto the past twelve years with a smile. But he didn't consider them to be the best years of his life, as many claimed they would be: he was very grateful and would hold the memories he made dear forever, but he sincerely believed that the best was yet to come.

Underneath the close watch of the constellations, they passed by numerous places that sprouted memories that were so specific that it was odd that they still remembered them now. A fountain that Haruka had made a dozen of attempts of jumping into, only one successful. The bush that they had once found a stray kitten in that they unfortunately hadn't been allowed to keep. A little bench in the park on which they had eaten the most delicious baked sweet potatoes one autumn afternoon, that Makoto had bitten into a little too zealously and burned his lips in the process.

Besides moments they remembered for no apparent reason, there were also places that were familiar with habit; the convenience store where they always got their soda popsicles to split on warm days or when they were simply craving it, and the grocery shop they used to go to when running errands for Mrs. Tachibana. The little riverbank where they had fished and played at multiple times after Makoto had seen it on tv, catching some tiny fish and also each other every once in a while. The train station where they used to wave their teammates goodbye when they were parting ways after training, and where they would occasionally hitch a ride to Samezuka for joint practice. The restaurant they sometimes visited, either with their friends or just the two of them, the one that had delightful omurice and, according to Makoto, heavenly chocolate cake.

Scattered throughout Iwatobi were so many memories, tucked away in bystreets or woven through the walls of the buildings, that it astonished Haruka. Although he had spent the vast majority of his life so far in this seaside town and knew that it was his home port, he had never really stopped to consider how much had happened in the past eighteen years. Suddenly, he appreciated all the places and their respective scenery so much more.

With every step Haruka took, the feelings of nostalgia increased and contentment flowed through his veins, but the rock of sorrow and melancholy grew heavier too. It was sad to think that they would be leaving all of those treasured memories behind here while moving on to live the next chapter in Tokyo. Iwatobi was like a vessel for their childhood, one that they couldn't just pack up in a suitcase and carry along with them throughout each new phase of their lives.

The only thought that bid Haruka some comfort was the prospect of making brand new memories together with Makoto in Tokyo. Though arguably, they were creating a nice memory now too; one that was the bridge between the Iwatobi-chapter and the Tokyo-chapter, and he shouldn't dwell too much in the past or rush to the future, but live here and now.

With that newfound determination, he tightened his grip on Makoto's hand.

At last, they arrived at a place that was one of the most important venues in the development of their relationship: the Iwatobi Swim Club Returns. So many things had happened here, things so significant and meaningful, that it was hard to keep track. Here, they had taken their first real dive into the world of swimming and truly discovered how much fun it was to not just be in the water, but to move through it with purpose. Here, Makoto had tried to conquer his biggest fear, and though there would always be slivers of it lingering within his heart, he had come such a long way since then and it was very admirable. Here, they had met beloved friends, with some of which they later on buried their time capsule containing the amazing sights they saw in the yard. And here, Makoto had coached children and found his dream of teaching them the joys of swimming.

But, there was one memory in particular that resurfaced whenever Haruka was here. A memory of one special night, a little under six years ago, that had changed his life in every sense of the word.

Their enrollment in middle school had shaken things up quite a bit. It started with Makoto suddenly addressing himself differently, followed by them being in separate classes for the very first time, and slowly the ripples of change were disrupting their everyday lives in ways that he just hadn't been prepared for. New, unfamiliar feelings were gripping his heart, some inflicted by Makoto and his classmates, others ambushing him out of nowhere, feelings on every part of the spectrum. He was noticing things he had never contemplated before, and for the first time, it felt like Makoto was drifting away from him. He didn't know what was going on or why these changes were happening, all he had known was that it was downright unbearable.

But then, that night had clarify it all. After voicing - or rather, yelling - his thoughts about how much he hated all of the unnecessary changes that were turning their world upside down, Makoto had an epiphany and dragged him here to the swim club. They swam together in their clothes, circling each other in an intimate dance, until Makoto pulled him upwards. Resting on the lane dividers, Makoto had explained what had been going through his head and complicating his thoughts, and they had made up. Then, he spoke the words that flipped Haruka's entire universe upside down in a completely different way.

_I love swimming and I love Haru-chan, so I want to swim together with you._

That was when he first realised that the feelings he harboured for Makoto might be different than what he had presumed them to be. He had always known that Makoto was special to him and that the bond they shared was unlike any other, but he had simply written it off as them having been best friends for as long as he could remember. But when Makoto spoke those words, the gears in Haruka's mind started spinning, faster and faster, until he began to wonder if the love he felt for Makoto might be more than the type shared between friends; if he viewed Makoto as more than just a friend.

Eventually, after pondering about it for some time, he had come to the inevitable conclusion that this was indeed the case. And the words Makoto had spoken that night were the catalyst of his gradual realisation. Perhaps, if Makoto hadn't said that to him, he never would have questioned the nature of his feelings and remained oblivious to how much he actually loved Makoto. He would like to think that he would have figured it out at one point or another, but he was so glad that it happened like this, because he definitely wouldn't have wanted to miss out on these past few years together with Makoto.

That night, his mind had been hazy and blurred and his thoughts were all over the place, completely caught off-guard by Makoto's confession, so much so that he could barely get a semblance of a response across his lips. But now, the words he couldn't say back then rolled off his tongue with practiced ease.

"I love you too."

The sound of his own voice startled Haruka, because he hadn't intended to say that out loud. Embarrassed by that seemingly unprompted declaration, he averted his head as his cheeks lit up in hues of red.

Any shred of hope that Makoto might not have heard him say it was in vain, because Makoto rarely missed anything Haruka said to him, especially when it was something that was as pure and honest as this.

A huff of endearment escaped Makoto's nose as he lifted their hands to his mouth, pressing a kiss against Haruka's. "I love you, Haru-chan," he murmured in return, hiding his smile in Haruka's skin.

Although he hadn't meant to say those words, Haruka didn't regret them in hindsight, because hearing Makoto voice his love for him always made his heart sing. He couldn't help but mutter, "Lay off the '-chan' already," under his breath, only making Makoto smile as a result.

"It would have been nice if we could swim now," Makoto remarked without verbally acknowledging Haruka's protest in an attempt to take some tension off his spontaneous confession, though the look of love didn't leave his eyes at all. It never did. "If I would have known that we would be here right now, I would have asked Coach Sasabe for the keys."

"We can still swim," Haruka responded, and when Makoto frowned at him in confusion, he elaborated with a shrug, "Break in."

"Sure," Makoto simply replied, knowing that Haruka was only joking a little, "if you want to go to Tokyo in the back of a police van."

"We won't get caught."

"We don't exactly have a good record when it comes to not getting caught," he reasoned, and Haruka snorted because he was right. The only time they had trespassed successfully without any repercussions was during that one special night here, the other two times didn't go as well, unfortunately. "So if we do get caught this time, it'll be our third strike for trespassing. Since we're technically college students now, I don't think we'd be let off the hook with just some scolding from a teacher like we were back in high school."

It wasn't like Haruka had actually been planning to break in - though it was very tempting - but he couldn't help but play along a little longer. "Coach Sasabe wouldn't turn us in," he brushed off, doing his very best to repress the smile that was fighting its way onto his face.

"Maybe he wouldn't, but someone else might see us and call the police," Makoto argued, mirroring his expression, "They'll arrest us before Coach Sasabe is even awake."

"It's worth the risk."

"No, it's not," Makoto giggled as he began to walk away, gently tugging at Haruka's arm as he did, "Come on, we need to get out of here before I give in and the cops arrive."

Haruka chuckled as he followed behind Makoto, but not without silently thanking this place from the bottom of his heart for being a part of their lives. He would forever be grateful for all that this swim club had given him; friends, a future career, and most importantly, an amazing relationship.

Judging by the colours of the sky, it wouldn't be much longer until the sun would rise, so they concluded that it was time to return to their houses. The notion of that didn't sadden Haruka though; they had passed by pretty much every place he could think of, and all good things had to come to an end eventually. But this walk down memory lane wouldn't end just yet, because there was still a familiar route they had to take that would bring them home.

A cloud of fog hung in the air, giving the beach a mysterious atmosphere. This oceanside path had borne their footsteps since the beginning, sending them off to their destination in the morning and carrying them back home in the evening. But today, they decided to trade the concrete for sand. They untied their shoelaces and slipped off their socks, feet sinking in the cold grains while the warm grip on each other's hand remained.

The waves lapped at the shore in an invitation to dip their toes into the welcoming clutch of the water. Usually Haruka would have accepted it, but if the dry sand was already this cold, he could only imagine how frigid the water must have been. Alas, there could be no real gesture of goodbye to the salty sea, but the fact that he was now able to resist the temptation showed Haruka how much he had grown, and that was a nice compromise.

So many fun memories had been made here every summer; mental images of sandcastles and arm floaties and kisses during sunset made every fiber of his being smile. But these waters held a darker side to them as well. Rows of people clad in white walking near the docks, surrounded by an aura of grief, struck a cord inside Makoto so deeply that it scarred his very soul. Words uttered on the sidewalk left Haruka in bewilderment, in pain even, during moments of confusion and uncertainty. The ocean, that was Makoto's greatest fear, almost made his own greatest fear come true.

Within an instant ice spread throughout his body as he remembered how weak Makoto's breathing was on that fateful night during their training camp, how limp his body had been as it was slumped over his own, devoid of every ounce of the strength it otherwise possessed. It wasn't until then that Haruka had fully understood the extent of Makoto's fear, because for the first time in his life, he had been so scared that it almost drove him mad. There was no way he could ever forget that feeling. It was so nauseating, so heartbreakingly terrifying that it sickened him just thinking about it. And he was still so indescribably relieved and thankful that Makoto woke up again that night, because he really didn't know what he would do if he were to lose Makoto. Without Makoto, he…

A reassuring squeeze of his hand called Haruka back to attention before he could drown in that nightmare. He turned his head away from the water with a sharp knot biting at his stomach. He held no grudges against it, for that would be futile anyway, but the protectiveness that always spiked up in him when it came to anything regarding Makoto had undoubtedly grown hotter eversince. Though he had been doing it for as long as he could remember, he now took his self-assigned job of being a physical barrier between Makoto and the ocean even more seriously. Because Haruka would never forgive himself if something were to happen to Makoto and he could have prevented it.

Another squeeze made him look up to meet Makoto's gaze. He had noticed that Haruka was spiralling again, and he wanted to pull him out of it before he was led astray. His gorgeous eyes were shining with comfort and love and a matching smile adorned his lips as he rubbed Haruka's hand.  _It's okay, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere._

There had been two times in his life when Haruka had genuinely thought that he had lost Makoto. And both times, Makoto had come back to him and proven that he had no intentions of leaving him, that he was here to stay. Though that knowledge didn't completely erase his fear, for he could lose Makoto to circumstances outside of their control, it did give him more faith. There was just a part of him that knew Makoto was going to be by his side until the very end, and even if no one could predict what life still had in store for them, he wanted to believe and hold on to that certainty.

So he had to do his utmost best to show Makoto that he would never go anywhere without him either, to prove to him day in, day out that their love was meant to be.

As if Makoto didn't know that already.

Dew was accumulating on the leaves of the trees covering the mountains, but the mist that spread the droplets around wasn't thick enough to obscure the sky. The orange and pink hues that intermingled revealed that it wouldn't be long until the sun would come up, and morning was only a whisper away.

Dawn was drawing nearer, and Haruka and Makoto arrived at the bottom of their destination. Rather than returning to their starting point, they decided to prolong this moment as much as they could and watch the sunrise together; the perfect conclusion to an amazing, unforgettable night.

They put their shoes down in the sand, but found that it was too cold to sit on. So instead, Makoto pulled Haruka into a big hug, sharing his warmth with him to compensate for their freezing toes.

Haruka accepted his embrace more than gladly and leaned his weight on him as his head found the comfy juncture of Makoto's exposed neck, that emitted even more warmth. He hadn't noticed just how cold he was until he did that, for the flame of nostalgia that was burning in his chest had kept him warm during their escapade. So he greedily drank all that Makoto had to offer as he nuzzled his nose against his skin, making Makoto flinch slightly before he eased into the cool touch.

For a second, Haruka's thoughts were occupied with complaints, wishing that Makoto's coat was three sizes bigger so he could snake his way into it and be enveloped entirely by his radiating body. But as the first slivers of the sun were shyly peeking above the horizon, the cocktail of confliction that had been brewing since he went to bed earlier returned to intoxicate him. A melancholic sigh emerged from deep inside him without any conscious effort.

"What's wrong?" Makoto murmured softly, pressing a tender kiss against his forehead. Haruka removed his face from where it was tucked against Makoto's neck to look him in the eyes as he spoke, and Makoto raised his hand to brush his fringe aside so no important details could be hidden.

"Nothing, just…" was his first reaction, because he didn't want Makoto to get the impression that he was second guessing his decision to go to Tokyo when that was most certainly not the case. He swallowed thickly as he tried to find the words to explain his feelings with, knowing that he had to be clear to avoid causing misconceptions. "It's a little sad, leaving everything behind: your family, our friends, all of these places and our memories."

"Yeah," Makoto agreed, "It'll surely be hard to get used to at first, and I'll miss everyone a lot, but I'm excited to experience the things that are waiting for us in Tokyo."

An encouraging smile appeared on his face, and though Haruka appreciated it and shared the sentiment, it still didn't make the aching he felt as he thought about Iwatobi disappear. He knew that the next part of his life had to take place in Tokyo, for there were opportunities waiting on him there that Iwatobi lacked, but this was his home. He hoped that eventually, Tokyo would become home too, but it wasn't right now and that was scary. He knew that Makoto felt the same way, but he tried to maintain a positive outlook or he would be wallowing in homesickness before they even left. Haruka wished he could be that strong too.

Understanding twinkled in Makoto's eyes as he read the contents of Haruka's heart. "It's not like this is a farewell," he reminded gently, "we will definitely come back here as often as we can, and in the meantime, we'll keep in touch with everyone. I know it's not the same as seeing them in person, but we can always call or text or video chat with them. Of course, we'll still miss everyone, but I think that will soothe the ache a lot."

Makoto was right. It might have seemed obvious to anyone, but Haruka never used his phone much and could only be reached by running into him, visiting him at home or by contacting Makoto. So while rationally speaking, he knew that they could stay in touch with everyone even without seeing them in person, it wasn't a tangible concept for his mind. He really had to get adjusted to carrying his phone with him and actually using it too.

As always, Makoto's words, though they were somewhat obvious, calmed the panicked feelings buzzing through his body a little. But Makoto wasn't finished just yet.

"When it comes to our memories, I don't feel like we're leaving them behind," Makoto said with steadily-budding confidence, "Our memories aren't tied to the places they were made at; they're tied to us, and we'll carry them along wherever we go, whether it's Iwatobi, Tokyo, or anywhere else in the world. They won't disappear just because we're somewhere else and we won't just forget them either. But if there ever comes a point when we do forget them, then I don't think they just cease to exist. Those things still happened and they're still real, so they'll live on forever inside of us even if we can't remember them."

Makoto spoke with so much conviction that Haruka couldn't help but believe him. Maybe their memories weren't attached to Iwatobi; maybe they were the vessels of their own memories and these places were just the setting, a tool serving to freshen up their recollection just like pictures did. And because they had plenty of those too, Haruka was sure their childhood would never get lost.

The seabreeze tousled Makoto's locks in a delicate caress, his green irises shimmering with kindness and hope as he resumed speaking. "Besides, it's not like we're leaving for good," he whispered as he looked around them, to their houses up on the hill and towards the horizon, watching how the sunlight was reflected on the dark waves. Then his gaze met Haruka's again as he said, "We'll definitely come back to visit and… eventually, I want to move back here. Ten, twenty, fifty years from now. We grew up here, and I want to grow old here. Together with you."

Admittedly, Haruka had never thought that far ahead before. He knew that he wanted to go to Tokyo alongside Makoto to officially kick off his swimming career, but there was no goal beyond that. There was no real need to have his whole life planned out anyway, since he could just follow the current and see where it would take him, but now that Makoto brought it up, he couldn't help but envision their lives after retirement.

Wrinkled fingers linked together as they took a walk along the beach at their own slow pace, resting whenever their legs got tired because they had all the time in the world. Sitting in their rocking chairs on the front porch that looked out over the water, talking about nothing at all because they had already said everything they could, but they didn't mind it because they loved hearing the sound of the other's worn yet warm voice. Swimming leisurely side-by-side, sharing the water like they had done all their lives and enjoying themselves immensely every single day.

He had never thought about it before, but Haruka now knew that, by the time they were two geezers, there was nothing he wanted more than that. A peaceful life without any worries or troubles in this small, tranquil town, together with the love of his life and a bargainable amount of cats.

In his head, he was already accustomed to life as a grandpa, fantasizing about the flowers he would plant in their garden and how he would spoil Makoto by making his favourite for supper. But they weren't quite there yet, because there were many, many years until then, and Makoto's young and clear voice reminded him of this fact.

"But before that, I want to see what lies beyond the horizon and experience everything the world has to offer us. I want us to make our dreams come true," he declared with unwavering determination that showed Haruka that he wasn't the only one who had grown. "Of course, it's not just up to me to decide and it's not like we need to make those kinds of decisions right now anyway, but…"

The way he faltered and rambled after realising that he hadn't gotten Haruka's input yet was more like the Makoto that Haruka knew. The corners of his lips curled up in endearment, assuring Makoto that he wasn't just voicing his own wishes for the future. "It's fine, Makoto. I'd like that. Moving back here eventually."

A sweet smile appeared on Makoto's handsome, sunlit face at Haruka's words. "Iwatobi is our home, and it's not easy leaving that behind," he murmured, hands coming up to cradle Haruka's jaw as he bent his neck to lean even closer to him, "But I'm sure that Tokyo will become our home too, because any place will be home as long as I have you."

Makoto's effortless yet heartwarming words surprised him; the sheer unexpectedness of the feelings expressed left Haruka in bewilderment. The nature of 'home' was something he had never questioned before either, but the way Makoto phrased his thoughts and the loving tone of his voice while he said it made Haruka think that home might not be a place. Perhaps home was a feeling, a name given to capture the security and serenity that was experienced at certain, consistent times. A feeling of acceptance and belonging.

Maybe Tokyo wouldn't be his home; maybe Iwatobi wasn't even his home, because there was no place where Haruka felt those feelings stronger than in Makoto's arms. And if Makoto was his home, then any place shared with him automatically qualified.

"Me too," Haruka mumbled, wanting Makoto to know that the feeling was mutual, but the realisation was too fresh to piece it together in a coherent sentence. Makoto would understand him anyway.

But where Haruka lacked with words, he made up for with actions. He tightened his arms around Makoto's body and leaned up on his toes, sinking ever so slightly in the soft bedding of sand. Their lips met in a kiss most tender, and it clearly conveyed everything he needed Makoto to know.

In addition to all those kisses they had savoured during sunset, this first kiss during sunrise was a nice seal on their letter of departure to Iwatobi. Everything was full-circle now.

Fondness swam through Makoto's eyes when Haruka pulled back, his soft lips smiling in such an inviting manner that Haruka was immediately drawn back to them. Makoto giggled a little, but he didn't miss a beat and responded to Haruka with just as much fervor.

Fleeting kisses were exchanged just because, and for the second time that night, Haruka's worries vanished as he was showered in Makoto's affection. "I love you, Haru," he murmured as he touched Haruka's forehead with his, "I'm so glad that we're doing this together."

A puff of endearment left Haruka's nose at Makoto's genuine excitement and gratitude. As if they would ever do something separately when they had the choice to do it together. "I love you too," was all Haruka said. It was all he needed to say, and he meant every last word.

Like he was hearing that confession for the first time again, a wide grin split Makoto's face in half before he nuzzled Haruka's cute red nose with his own. No matter how small the gesture of adoration and caring might have been, it never failed to make flowers spontaneously blossom in Haruka's heart.

Silence fell between them as Makoto wound his arms around Haruka's back once more, and Haruka reclaimed his previous position by snuggling his head in the crook of Makoto's neck. Makoto gently rested his cheek against Haruka's hair, turning every once in a while to press a light kiss against the silky locks as they watched the remaining half of the sun come up. The water was sparkling as the rays of sunshine danced across it, and though it was probably a sight as ordinary as the next, it felt very special.

At last, the sounds of the chirping birds and the piercing light that illuminated the land told Haruka that it was time to go. Part of him never wanted this moment to end, but a bigger, more prominent part of him couldn't wait to leave and officially flip the page to start the new chapter; couldn't wait to conquer the world together with Makoto.

He took a deep breath as he snapped photos of his surroundings with his senses, taking in the crashing waves, the crisp, sea-scented wind, and most importantly, the warm encompassing embrace of his beloved. He wrote down every detail in his mental book of memories, because this moment was truly unforgettable in every aspect, but he wasn't about to take any risks.

"We should go," Haruka said resolutely, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself rather than Makoto. He let his grip around Makoto's back slip to take ahold of his hands instead. "Your family will worry if they wake up and see that you're not home. They might think we left without saying goodbye."

Makoto gasped at that sudden insight. "We would never!"

"I know that," Haruka breathed amusedly, "But they might think otherwise. It's early and they just woke up, so that's not a strange conclusion to reach when you're gone."

"I mean, my bags are still in my room and it's not like I would leave without them," Makoto argued with a snort, but then he gave in, "But you're right, I don't want to scare them. We should get going anyway, since I do want to take my time to properly say goodbye before we go and it's already getting late… early?" he questioned in confusion as he peered at the sun that had only just arrived.

"Either works," Haruka chuckled, not wanting to get lost in meaningless banter right now, otherwise they might still be here at dusk rather than at their new apartment.

He squeezed Makoto's hands one more time for good measure before he let go to pick up his shoes. Makoto followed suit, and they walked back to the pavement, wiped the lingering grains off their soles and then they put their socks and shoes back on. Their hands naturally found each other again, fingers entwining as they ascended the stairs leading to their family houses.

The prospect of leaving everything familiar behind to move to a big new city was frightening, but it didn't scare Haruka anymore. No matter what kind of challenges were waiting for him in the future, Haruka knew he could face it all because Makoto was with him for every step of the way.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! ^^
> 
> Writing this was a lot of fun, I just love the idea of them taking a walk through Iwatobi together at night when no one else is around, holding hands and reminiscing about all the memories they made over the course of their lives so far, so I really hope you liked it too.
> 
> As always, you can find me on Tumblr, Twitter and Curious Cat as DatHeetJoella for more MakoHaru content in-between fic posts and updates.
> 
> Thanks again for reading, I hope to see you around the next time and for now, I wish you a lovely day! :)


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